Computer networks continue to proliferate. As they do so, they become increasingly complex and difficult to manage. This problem is exacerbated when a variety of network devices, computers, and software are combined together to integrate large intranets with the Internet.
As shown in FIG. 1, when a client 100 wants to learn information regarding a remote network device 104 stationed on a network 102, code executing on client 100 formats a message requesting such information and sends it to the network device 104. Network device 104 must be preprogrammed with functionality for communicating in the protocol required by client 100's message and for knowing exactly how to get the information requested. If so, network device 104 can then respond with the requested information.
Simple network management protocol (SNMP) is one example of a network protocol that allows clients to learn information about remote network devices. SNMP allows network devices 104 to send alerts to a manager 102, or to send statistical information about traffic, but it limits the kind of information that can be sent to that which is pre-defined in the management information blocks (MIBs) coded into the network device. Accordingly, a new MIB needs to be redefined each time a new type of information is maintained or is needed about the device, thus making network management and performance even more problematic.